Apparatus for making stuffed products



Alg- 10 1954 J. D. coNTl V2,685,770

APPARATUS PoR MAKING STUFFED PRODUCTS Aug. l0, 1954 A J. D. CONTI 2,685,770

APPARATUS FoR 'MAKING sTuFFRn PRODUCTS original Filed Jan. 21, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED APPARATUS FOR MAKING STUFFED PRODUCTS John D. Conti, Elkins Park, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Original application January 21, 1950, Serial No. 139,830. Divided and this application July 10, 1952, Serial No. 298,085

11 Claims.

This invention relates in general to making stuffed products such as sausages, and in particular to an apparatus for the production of sausages. This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 139,830, filed January 2l, 1950.

At the present time the usual apparatus for the manufacture of sausages consists of a large closed chamber equipped with a nozzle through which the sausage meat can be forced by air pressure on the meat in the chamber. In the manufacture of the skinless sausage, it is customary first to sturi the sausage meat in an articial seamless casing, and then to cook and smoke the sausage and thereafter peel off the casing. In making skinless sausage and other small sausages, a small diameter casing having a length of several feet is shirred onto the nozzle-or is preshirred and then slipped over the nozzle. The end of the casing is tied, and the casing is then lled with sausage meat. in the manufacture of frankfurters by this process, there are required a number of separate hand operations, one for each individual casing, and inasmuch as the length of the individual casing is limited, the interruptions of the stuffing process are numerous and consequently decrease the production. Since the length of the casing is limited by the length of the nozzle over which is must be shirred and the length of the natural casing is limited by the length of the animal organ from which it is obtained, these interruptions cannot be avoided in the conventional process.

On the other hand, in the manufacture of largesized sausages, such as salami, bologna and the like, the articial casing heretofore used is a large seamless casing not more than about tvvo feet in length. The stuing of such casings is entirely a discontinuous batch operation.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for the continuous production of stuffed products, such as sausage.

An important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the continuous manufacture of stuiied products in tight-tting casings of an alkali-soluble material.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the manufacture of stuied products, in particular of sausages, simultaneously with the formation of casings of an alkali-soluble material.

Another object is to provide a stuffed sausage encased in an alkali-soluble casing which is suitable for the preparation of the so-called skinless frankfurters.

f Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the drawing and the following description.

According to the present invention, there is also provided an apparatus for the simultaneous manufacture of tubular casings and the stuffing of such casings With plastic materials, such as sausage meat, comprising the combination of a stuing horn nozzle adapted to t onto a container for the plastic material, means for continuously shaping a flexible sheet material into a tubular casing about the nozzle, means for supplying adhesive material to one of the edges to be overlapped before or during overlapping, means for sealing the edges of the sheet as it passes over the nozzle, and means for applying a neutralizing material to the inside seam of the casing before it leaves the end of the nozzle.

It is a characteristic feature of the present invention that the tubular casing is stued under pressure so as to produce a stuffed product in a 4vtight fitting casing. A second characteristic feature is that the pressure applied to the plastic material, such as a sausage meat, as it is stuffed in the casing, causes or assists the passage of the casing over the nozzle so that While that portion of the sealed casing which extends beyond the end of the nozzle is being stuffed, a succeeding portion is being shaped and sealed into a casing on the nozzle. Thus the operations of forming the casing and stumng the casing are carried out simultaneously and concurrently which are then followed in continuous sequence Without interruption by linking, cooking and/or smoking, cooling, stripping when desired, and packaging.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a side view, partly in section, of one embodiment of apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional View of the apparatus of Figure 1 taken along line 3--3 of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a partial section taken on line 4 4 of Figure l;

l Figure 5 is a View of a form of prepared sheet that may be employed in the apparatus of Figures l to 4;

Figure 6 is a side view showing the entire apparatus for stuffing and packaging; and

Figure 7 is a view illustrating diagrammatically the passage of the stuffed product through the cooker or smoker, and cooler of Figure 6.

The seamed articial casing is formed by folding about the stuffing horn a flexible sheet of an alkali-sensitive material, such as regenerated cel lulose, cellulose acetate and the like, or, preferably, an alkali-soluble water-insoluble cellulosic material, such as a lower alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, or carboxyl-alkyl ether of cellulose, preferred speciiic materials being methyl, ethyl, hydroxyethyl, and carbokymethyl ethers of cellulose, mixed cel lulose ethers in this class, and also sheets derived from cellulose ether-Xanthates, cellulose Xanthoethers, cellulose thiourethanes, and cellulose Xantho fatty acids.

Since the seamed tubing is formed from a hydropnilic cellulosic material, which is waterpermeable but greaseprcof, it can be used in the conventional methods of manufacturing skinless frankfurters. The hydrophilic nature of the casing permits the passage of air and moisture vapor while preventing loss of grease and fat, thus facilitating the formation of a self-skin of coagulated protein material on the surface of the meat. In addition, the hydrophilic casing is capable, during stuffing, curing and cooking operations, of shrinking or expanding to conform with the changing size and shape of the sausage without the formation of' wrinkles and without bursting. On the other hand, the non-thermoplastic nature of the hydrophilic casing is advantageous in the manufacture of skinless sausages since it eliminates adhesion between the casing and the sausage meat and thus facilitates subsequent stripping of the Casing.

ln accordance with the present invention, the adhesive used in sealing the overlapped edges of the sheet in forming the tube may be any alkaline liquid, such as a dilute solution of caustic soda or potash. If desired, the adhesive may be an alkaline solution of one of the alkali-soluble cellulosic materials of which the casing may be made and the cellulosic material in the adhesive may be the same vas or dierent than that of the sheet, The adhesive may be applied to one edge of the sheet before it is formed into a tube or it may be inserted between the edges of the sheets as they are overlapped in forming the tube. If desired, a coating of the alkaline adhesive material may be applied adjacent one edge of the sheet and dried before the sheet is wound up into a roll or before it is passed into the tube-forming machine. 1n this latter case, it is merely necessary to wet the coating of the sheet as it proceeds to tube-forming posi tion before or after the edges are overlapped. In a perferred form of the invention, the amount of adhesive applied is controlled by absorbing it within a porous strand or carrying it as a coating on the surfaces of a continuous strip or strand of non-porous character. For example, a yarn or thread of cotton, regenerated cellulose, or other fibrous material may be passed through a bath of the alkaline medium and then carry out of such bath an amount of adhesive determined by the size and nature of the strand. The still wet strand may then be guided directly to one edge of the sheet or to the space between the overlapped edges of the sheet. Again, a strip of a plastic material such as a monorllament of regenerated cellulose or the like may be passed through the bath of the alkaline medium and then directly to one edge of the sheet or between the overlapped edges. If desired, the strip or strand may rst be adhered adjacent one edge of the sheet as in Figure 5, such as by drying the 4 wet strip or strand in contact therewith. In this latter case, it is merely necessary to wet the adhered strip or strand with water as it proceeds to sealing position between the overlapped edges.

After the edges have been overlapped with the adhesive supplied therebetween, they are preferably subjected to pressure as they proceed along the nozzle to assure good adhesion. When certain products are to be stuffed in the casing, it is desirable to neutralize the alkali before the material is stuffed into the casing. This is done in accordance with the invention by applying an acid liquid, such as vinegar to the inside seam before the sealed casing leaves the nozzle.

The present invention also contemplates the sealing or securing together of the two Overlapped edges of the sheet material by means oi an interposed composite thread, strand, lament, or the like. The sealing along the joint may be complete or partial, depending upon the extent of closure desired or necessary in the particular case. The composite sealing means may involve two or more continuous iilaments laid side by side, one or more but not all of said filaments being susceptible of activation tc an adhesive character by Water or an alkaline medium. Preferably, pressure is applied with the activating agent. Olne or more of the filaments is not affected by the activating agent and may be termed the nonadhesive element of the composite sealing means, whereas the iirst-menioned filament or laments is the potentially adhesive element thereof. The potentially adhesive element may be a filament or a bundle or aggregation of filaments in the form of a yarn, thread, or like twisted or untwisted strand made of such materails as alkali-soluble cellulose ethers, or alkali-sensitive materials, such as regenerated cellulose rayon, cotton, or preferably cellulose acetate and partially sapcnied cellulose acetate, or the like.

Figures 1 to 4 show one embodiment of the apparatus comprising the combination of a nozzle I0 having a threaded end il adapted to screw on the outlet pipe i2 of a container 9 to replace the nozzle conventionally used thereon. The container e may be the conventional one used for sausage or other material to be stuffed into the casings. The meat or other material in the container 9 is customarily placed under pressure, and the valve 8 is adapted and arranged to control the ow of the material through the nozzle in the usual manner. On the underside of the nozzle it, there is mounted a bracket i3 adapted to support a roll of the alkali-soluble sheet material i4 from which the casing is to be formed. On each side of the nozzle there is secured a tube-former l5 which encircles the nozzle and is arranged to shape the sheet material into a tubing l about the nozzle.

A bracket il may also be provided for rotatably supporting a supply spool it for a strip or thread of sealing material iii. The bracket may be supported in any fashion, either directly on the nozzle or separately therefrom. A drag or brake shoe i8a is urged by a spring isc against a drum ith secured to the spool shaft in order to properly tension the strip i9 during withdrawal. A guide or pulley 20 is mounted on the nozzle in line with the overlapped edges of the sheet within the former Iii. A container Ella for water or an alkaline medium may be mounted on the nozzle or otherwise supported. A dip roll 2Q?) and guide roll 20c may be carried by the container 20a to dip the strip I9 therein and guide it over the container edge to guide 20. There is also provided, such as by detachable mounting on the nozzle I il, a liquid reservoir 2| for acid. This reservoir has a lid 22 and a conduit 23 from the reservoir extends along the nozzle adjacent the seam 26 and terminates in small openings 23a over which the inside edge of the seam passes. The pipe 23 may be embedded in a groove 23h formed in the outer wall of the nozzle as shown more clearly in Figure 4. The groove may then be filled or calked at 23o to make a smooth outer surface that is flush with the outer surface of the nozzle I0.

An arcuate roller 24 supported on a forked spring 25 may be provided to apply pressure to the seam 26, preferably before or simultaneously with the application of the acid. The roller 243 may be hollow and may be provided with heating means, such as any form of electric heating coil or lamp, e. g., an infra-red ray lamp 2. Also, if desired, means may be provided to heat the strip I 9 just before it is laid between the overlapped edges of the sheet being formed into a tube. For example, a heating element 23 may be secured in, on, or above the nozzle I0 between the pulley 2li and the roll 2li, preferably in` advance of the position of overlap of the edges of the sheet to be sealed so that strip i9 passes in Contact with the heating element 23 or sufficiently close that its surface is preheated to control the ow of the alkaline medium or adhesive and quicken the final setting. Depending on the particular materials to be sealed and rendered adhesive, either or both of the heating means 2'| and 23 may be employed or omitted, as desired. When the nature of the material passing through the nozzle I requires the avoidance of excessive heating, the nozzle should be made of a material that has extremely low heat conductivity or it should be shielded from the heating means 2`| and/or 28, when such is used, by a layer of insulating material.

It is desirable to feed the sheet material in such a position that the center and the edges of the sheet are displaced an equal distance from the longitudinal axis of the nozzle. This is done, according to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, by forming the nozzle with a reverse curve at the end adjacent to the container 9, and there is provided a guide roller 29 which is so positioned that its upper surface lies in the same plane with the axis of the free end of the nozzle I0. Thus, when the roll of sheet material is passed over this roller, it is roughly at the same level as the center of the nozzle and is suitably positioned for the formation of the tubing. It is to be understood that the nozzle may be reversed so that the roll Ill is positioned on the top side of the nozzle while the strip supply and cooperating elements are on the under side, in which case the seam is formed on the under side of the nozzle. A container 30 may be provided for water, alkali solution or alkaline adhesive solution and is provided with a coating roll 3| which bears against the surface of roll i4 adjacent one edge thereof. The coating roll container 30 is urged upwardly by a spring 32 bearing against a fixed portion of the frame 33. Y

The coating roll 3| may be used exclusively to provide the adhesive in which event the strip supply at IS need not be used nor will the dip roll system comprising roll 20h and the pulley 20 be necessary. When operating in accordance with this system, a thin nlm of an alkaline solul tion, such as a dilute solution of caustic soda or a solution o-f caustic soda containing an alkali-soluble cellulosic material of the type from which the sheet itself may be formed, is provided on roll 3| which rotates in the bath in container 30. This alkaline solution is coated as a thin narrow strip adjacent or along one edge o-f the sheet as it passes during unrolling on its Way to the tube former I5. At this position, the coated edge is overlapped upon the opposite edge of the sheet material so that the adhesive coating is disposed therebetween. After leaving the overlapping position, the tubular structure passes under the pressure roll 2li and the inside seam passes over the openings 23a by which an acid such as vinegar is applied to neutralize any alkali remaining. Heating of the roll 24 is optional but serves to hasten the setting of the adhesive before the acid is applied to the seam. Alternatively, the bath 30 may be omitted or remain unfilled in which event reliance may be placed upon the strip I9 derived from the roll I il to provide the adhesive between the overlapped edges. In this case, the strip I9 passes into the liquid bath 29d, over roll 20c and under pulley 2|] which guides it into position between the overlapped edges. As discussed hereinabove, the strip i9 may be made of various materials. When it is a cotton thread, the bath 2da, may contain either a dilute solution of an alkaline material, such as caustic soda or a dilute alkaline solution of a cellulose ether which is alkali soluble. Any of the ethers mentioned hereinabove are suitable. 'Ihe thus coated cotton thread is guide-d by pulley 2i) into the space between the overlapped edges of the sheet and bonds the surfaces of the sheet by the action of the alkali upon the alkali-soluble material of which the sheet .is formed. When the thread contains a cellulose ether, an exceptionally good autogenous bond is obtained. As the bonded seam passes along they nozzle, it is pressed by the roll 24 and the inside of the seam passes over the openings 23a which supply an acid, such as vinegar to neutralize any excess caustic on the interior of the casing.

In a third case, both the coating container Sli and the strand I9 may be employed. Thus, water may be present in the container 3d and the strand I9 may be a pre-dried alkali-impregnating strand. In this case, the container 26d may be omitted or left empty as the water coated upon the edge of the sheet by the roll 3| will activate the dry alkali in the strand as the strand contacts the water between the overlapped edges of the sheet. Other variations in operation may be employed as desired.

In all cases, the flow of the sausage meat is controlled by means of the valve S and, if desired, the stuffed casing is twisted at intervals to provide sausage links.

In view of the fact that the casing of the present invention is formed from a sheet material, a number of important commercial advantages arise therefrom. For example, it is difficult to apply a moistureproof composition to the seamless casings heretofore employed, while it is a relatively simple matter to apply such a moistureproof composition to one side of the sheet material used in the present invention. The coated sheet material is then formed into a tube and stuffed according to the present invention y with the moistureproof coating on the outside.

To prevent the moistureproof coating from interfering with the sealing of the sheet by means of c'ertainof'the adhesives, the vedges5 `ff "'ri sheet' material are preferably left free Yof coatinghorv if the sheet is coated over lits entiresuriace the coating may be removed in a preliminaryoperation by the ,application'of a solvent therefor and a wiping roll.

The'sheet material employed'zin :formingy the! casing may be prestretched, and in the now preferred embodiment, the sheetmaterial is prestretched longitudinally, whereby there yis imparted to the casing the ability to stretch transversely to a substantial extent without stretching longitudinally. Thus, the casing mayv expandy and shrink 'during the stuffing and fcuring, but

when the sausage hung in the smokeroom, the.

casing will not tend to elongate. Instead, it provides a stuied sausage having relatively square shoulders which are desirable.`

The sheet ma erial may also be pre-printed" before beingr formed into tubing and since the` casing material may be printed in sheet form;y considerable economies can be achieved in the 3ft thereon as shown in Figures l and 2. When Thus, the printing may be Accordingly, the vpresent inven.-

the printing is applied on the outside, theinkv may be any conventional ink which will adhere to the casing during'the operations of stuing, cooking (commonlyat 180 F.),.`and which willl be resistant to the action oi grease, smoke and water.

However', vunlike the seamless `tubing heretoiere printed and iolcl'ed so that the printingis located used, the present seamed casing may .be preon the inner surface ci the casing and is viewed through the transparent casing'. Inthi'scase it may be desired to employ an ink comprising. an

approved fat-soluble fooddye which Vvwill `trans-l ier from the inner walls of the casing to the surface or the meat stuffed therein, yso that the meat will bear the printing after the casing has been stripped from the sausage.V y'Ihere'is thus provided a skinless sausage bearingfprinting or other indicia.

It must be realized in carrying outthis inven-v tion that the foregoing description shows but'iew V of numerous embodiments thereof', .and it will be obvious that numerous variations mel'. chanical equivalents may be substitutedto at tain the same ends. For example, there iszshown in Figures l to 4 a complete vcasingformin'g nozzle which may be sold as a, unit V,and subs'ttuted on a conventional sausage `making wiiia'chine for the nozzle used thereon prior to thepresent invention. means, e. g. the brackets with the roll i4 of sheet Certain parts of thev tube-formirig 4` material and/or the spool i8, and/Orlthefalkali 1,.

and acid container or reservoirand ,cooperating parts, may be attached integrally to the..meat container itself or mounted upon a separate support.

fing machine as originally manufactured. Fur- Alternatively, the entire casing-'formingv nozzle may be made an integral Apart ofthe stufther, the roll of material it may be enclosed in a. v

housing of conventional design vto protect *fthe sheet material from dust and contain'ina-tion.l'.I When it is desired to pre-wet the casing ,material before stuffing, this can readily be doneby, having` the roll id immersed in a water bath, 4or suitable" guide rolls provided for passing thefsheet'from-,

the roll through a water bathor through'a .spray of water priorto the sheetbeing formed intoa f tube. It has been found that even though"the sheeiruiy be wet, a rapidsealing of the overlappinglayeigs: at the seam ycan still be effected bythe alkaline. strip.y The shrinking of the wet tubing isfdesirable in packaging certain meat products vcontaining water because the wet casingon drying shrinks and follows the contraction ofthe meat product. t is also to be understood* that instead of the pressure roll 2e,

there mayhbey employed equivalent mechanical means .suchfasa shoe adapted to press on the searnor A a positively rotated stiff brush adapted to wipe the area of the seam.

Instead of using an alkali-soluble water-insoluble cellulose .ether material for making the tubing, there may bev employed .alkali-sensitive sheet materials, such as regenerated cellulose, cellulose acetate, partially saponiiied cellulose acetate, and the like. To permit continuous and rapid production of the tubing, the alkaline sealing liquid' forany particular sheet material must be one which produces immediately a strong seam,I Ypreferably an autogenous sealing of the contiguous 4layers `of `the 4 sheet material. With regenerated v( :ellulosethe seam may be formed by use of a rapidly acting alkaline adhesive such as tribenzylmethyl ammonium hydroxide or an aqueoussolution containing 10% sodium hydroxide and,'if desired, 8% dissolved alkali-solule water-insoluble cellulose ether.

The seamed tubing and its method of formation accordingto the present invention readily permits the use of a-tear strip or rip cord in the tubing. .For example, a narrow strip or thread `may be Ifed concurrentlywith the Vsealing strip from the rolls IMB- so that the tear strip ortear cord `islocated at the seam. Figure 5 shows a variation in whichthe sheet 35 has adhered to it two lengths .of l tear and/ or sealing strips 36 rand 31. Strip may serve as both a tear and The `forward motion of the casing over the y horn iii Vmay bederived entirely from the sturing pressure. However, it maybe moved more positively :by the assistanceoi belts 325, 33 driven at constant speed over pulleys 39, 39 and 13G.

Figures 6 and?, illustrate modification in which the production or" slrinless frankiurters is accomplished ina continuous manner. Although the same stuffing andtube-forming system may be employedid this embodiment as previously described and shownin Figures l to Li, this section of the continuous system is somewhat modilied aswshown in- Figure 6 for the purpose of conm tinuously introducing a 4 tear strip or strand into the tubing formed in a positionlfi" from the position of the seam of-.the tubing. As shown, a roll 4I of .the sheet material having proper width to form, upon tubing, a frankiurter casing of thedesired', diameter, is mounted on a rotatable spindle'll'E` onthe frame 5.5i. A bracket M carries al rotatable pulley i5 about which the sheet proceeds from the supply roll M. A Xed or rotatable guide is is carried by the frame d3 at a levelv approximatelycorresponding to the bottom of the casing-rbeing formed and stuffed. A bracket'isupports a; package dit of a strand material whichiisguided about an overhanging tubing beig'lformed. The nozzle 5@ secured at 9 to the frame serves to conduct the material to be stuffed into the casing being formed and has a horizontally extending end portion terminating at 52. A pipe 53 is connected with a receptacle 54 adapted to receive vinegar or the like by means of a valve 55 and has its terminal portion imbedded Within the upper surface of nozzle 5&3 and provided with perforations in a manner similar to the tube 23 of Figures 1 to 4. Before the tubing reaches the acid discharging perforations, however, it must pass between the shoes 56 and 5'! which serve to exert pressure upon the joint being formed. The shoes are provided with opposed semi-cylindrical channels adapted to bear against the tubing or casing being formed. The lower shoe 56 is xed to the frame by cap screws 5S and to prevent the upper shoe from being carried along, it may be provided with downwardly extending pins 5S, 59 which are laterally spaced from the semi-cylindrical groove and t in mating bores in shoe 56.

A bracketll supports a sloped guide El to fold the upper edge of the sheet around the nozzle 5B and to function as an inside finger to guide the shaping of the sheet into a tube. A similar sloped guide 62 lays the opposite edge of the sheet over into overlapped position.

The sealing thread or strand may be derived from a package 63 supported on a bracket 64 and provided with an overhead guide 65. As in the preceding embodiment, this strand may pass into an alkaline liquid contained in a receptacle 66 supported on a bracket 6l. A roller guide 68 may serve to submerge the travelling thread and a guide 69 may be provided at the edge of the receptacle. From the alkaline bath, this sealing thread may pass about a guide 'i0 into the space between the overlapped edges of the tubing being formed. A pair of opposed belts 'H and i2 are driven about pulleys 13, 'I3 as by means of a chain 'lil and sprocket '55. Although only one belt is shown as being driven, both may be, if desired. A receptacle l5 is provided on a bracket 'il and has a discharge tube 'i8 provided with a very small orifice through which acid, such as acetic acid or vinegar contained in receptacle 'It may drip slowly upon the upper belt 7|. This acid is carried around into contact With the outer face of the seamed tubing and neutralizes the excess alkali. A pair of semi-cylindrical pressing shoes 'i9 and 8! are disposed in opposite relationship between the pulleys i3 and serve to support the exterior wall of the casingas it is being stuffed, thereby preventing any possible rupture of the seam near the position of stuiing where the stuiing pressure is inclined to be eX- cessive. These shoes are rigidly supported on the bars or straps 8i and 82 respectively and press against the casing through the inner plies of belts 'H and i2.

From the stufng position, the continuous lled casing proceeds to a linking device which is diagrammatically shown at 83. This linking device may be of any suitable construction but for purn poses of illustration, the form of device shown in U. S. Patent 639,648 is shown. Itcomprises two spiral cams 813 and 35 respectively which are rotated in opposite directions on shafts 85 and 87. A pair of chains carry a series of upper pairs of pins 38 and a series of lower pairs oi pins 89 (the rear pin of each pair is hidden behind the front pin shown) these pins being spaced apart along the chains a distance corresponding with the length of frankfurter desired. Succeeding sets of four pins each pinch the lled casing at spaced in- 10 tervals and alternate sections or links are twisted by the cams 84 and 85 relative to the intervening lengths which are isolated from the twisting action by the pins. Further description of this construction is not thought necessary since adequate details can be obtained by referring to the patent mentioned. From the linking station, the frankfurters proceed to the cooking, smoking and cooling chambers 33a and Sim (see particularly Fig. '7) wherein the linked frankfurters pass over a series of guiding rollers or pulleys 9B. As shown in Figure 7, a single housing may be divided into a cooking or smoking chamber 38a which may be heated by any suitable means and into which any desired smoke or vapors may be introduced for flavoring such as by means of conduit 9|. A partition S2 provided with an opening 93 separates the cooling chamber 88a from the cooking chamber. The cooling chamber may be naturally or artifically cooled by any suitable means. From the cooling chamber, the frankfurters proceed to the stripper S4 when it is desired to produce skinless frankfurters or weners. This device may be of any suitable form and may comprise a tube 95 adapted to receive compressed air by means of a flexible conduit 9S. The back of the tube is provided with an upright knife blade 9i. A travelling belt 98 may serve to carry the frankfurters past the compressed air stripping knife and a guide wheel 9g carried on a bracket i 6B may be provided to hold the wieners down against the belt. The stripped casing proceeds over the end of the belt between it and a nip roller it! to a receptacle H32. From the belt 98, the stripped wieners are deposited in a carton |33 which is moved by belt it substantially at right angles to the path of the wieners approaching it. A stationary bar 95 is disposed just beyond the end of the belt S8 and is inclined from a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the belt s3 so that the advancing wiener is deflected into a position more or less transverse of the belt before it falls so that it may roll down the guiding plate H36 into the carton H33 which is brought into position by the belt 84 with its flap IUT under the plate i135.

The web of casing material may contain reinforcing fibers. For example, a multiplicity of loose natural or articial short bers may be dispersed in a solution of the alkali-soluble waterinsoluble cellulose material and the solution formed into a web. Alternatively, a thin tissue paper formed of natural or articial bers may be impregnated and coated with a solution of the alkali-soluble Water-insoluble cellulosic material which is coagulated by treatment with an acid, washed and dried. The presence of the loose fibers or of the tissue paper does not interfere with the sealing of the sheet material by the alkaline adhesive. The coatings containing bers are stronger, less expansible and more opaque. Therefore, such iibrous casings are especially adapted for liver sausage and the like.

While reference has been made, for purposes of description, to the preparation of sausage, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such stuffed products but is equally advantageous for the production of encased stued products of plastic nature such as ice cream, fats, scrapple and other meat products, as well as cheese, lard, oleomargarine, greases, snu, caulking compound, and other products normal- 1y stuffed into casin'gs, and in the appended claims the expression stuffed products is intended to include all such products.

The present invention has numerous advantages inthe production of both frankfurters and large size sausages; lThe invention provides for a continuous process which results in substantlal economies in manufacture, reduces labor requirements andincreases the output per machine. As`

the casings are always uniform indiameter, the

' product is more uniform thany when individual casings are stuffed according to prior practice.

Further, since the present process produces a casing from a dat sheet, the sheet may be printed with an all-over designextending tothe edges, thus permitting the design in the nished stuffed rial for the further production of tubing. This reuse of the stripped casing is not possible with the regenerated cellulose casings heretofore used `in the lmanufacture of skinless frankfurters be# cause it is not practical to redissolve regenerated cellulose for the formation of -Yadditional viscose .tubing owing to the .chemical degradation which occurs when such lms are v rexanthated. NU: merous other advantages will be obvious to those f skilled in the art. f

The foregoing description is merely illustrative of the invention and isnot a Ylimitation thereof,

and it is to be understood that the scope of the invention will be defined in the following claims. -I claim:

1. In an apparatus for the production of tubular oasings, the combination of a hollow nozzle, means adjacent the nozzle-for shaping a strip of sheet material about said nozzle into a tubing,

means adjacent the nozzle for sealing the longitudinal edges of said strip to form a casing on said nozzle, and conduit means extending along fthe outer periphery of the nozzle and having dis- Vcharge openings for applying a liquid to the inside of the sealed seam.

2. In anl apparatus for the production of stul-ed products, the combination of Va stufng nozzle, meansV operatively associated with the nozzle for feeding a bulk material through the jstuing nozzle, means adjacent the nozzle for shaping a strip of ,sheetv .material about Said nozzle into a tubing, meansA adjacent the nozzle I for sealing the longitudinal edges-cf said strip j to form a casing, on said nozzle, and conduit means extending along the wall of the nozzlebeyond the sealing means and having discharge openings disposed in theouter peripheral wall of the nozzle for applying aliquid to the inside of the sealed seam..

3. A device comprising a nozzle having a discharge opening, means adjacent the nozzle for guiding a sheet of indenite length to the nozzle and along a portion thereof toward the discharge, v opening, means about the nozzle for continuously shaping the sheet as it is passed along the nozzle into a tubular form encircling the nozzle with the edges of the sheet overlapped to form a portion 4of the wall of the tube, sealing meansv adjacentV A the nozzle and comprising ,rotatable means for pressing the overlapped edges against the nozzle, and conduit means extending'along the wall of aeeavvo the nozzle and having discharge openings dis- A'posed in the'outer peripheral lwalljof the nozzle for applying a liquid tothe inside of the vsealed seam at a position in advance of the discharge opening. 4. A device in accordance with claim 3 in which the sealing means comprises means for heating the overlapped edges as they pass over the nozzle. 5. A device in accordance with claim 3 in which the `forming means comprises a sleeve encircling the nozzle and having its edgesoverlapping but out of contact with each other.

' 6I A device inaccordance with claim 3 cornprising means for applying a liquid, paste, dispersion, suspension, or the like to an edge of the `sheet as itpasses along thenozzle.

7. A stuing device comprising a nozzle, means mounted on said nozzle for holding a roll of sheet material,'means on said nozzle for shaping said sheet material into ra tubing, means on said nozzle 4forsealing the'longitudinal ledges of said tubing into a casing on said nozzle and conduitmeans extending along the wall of the nozzle 'for 'applyinga liquid to the inside of the sealed seam.

8. In an apparatus for theY production of stuffed products', the combination of a stuffing `nozzle, means adjacent the nozzle for folding a sheet of iiexible material about the nozzle with its edges overlapped in theform of a tubular casing, supply means for a strip of sealing material', means disposed between the supply means .and the folding means for guiding the strip of sealing material between the overlapped edges, means adjacent the nozzle for applyinfr a liquid to thestrip, and conduit means having a portion of its length extending along the nozzle for applying a liquid to the .inside of the seam as it passes over the nozzle.

k9.' Apparatus as dened in claim 8 in which the last-mentioned liquid applying. means 'comprises a conduit withinthe wall of the nozzle terminating in openings' to the outer surface of the wall between the folding means and the end of the nozzle.

10. Stufng apparatus comprising a stuiiing nozzle-supply means for a sheet of flexible material, means surrounding the nozzle for receiving the sheet from the suppiy means and forming the sheet into a tube with overlapped edges, supply means for a strip of sealing material, means disposed between the strip supply means and the folding means for guiding the strip between the overlapped edges, means along the nozzle beyond the forming means for advancing the casing, and means along the nozzle beyond the forming means for applying liquid inside the seam as it passes over the nozzle.

1l. Apparatus as denned in claim 10 in which the advancing means comprises a plurality of belts spaced about the nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

